PETROLEUM QUALITY STANDARD

The quality of fuel is regulated by the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 (the Act) that places an obligation on the fuel industry, including fuel suppliers, to supply fuels that meet strict environmental requirements. The requirements are in place to reduce the adverse effects of motor vehicle emissions on air quality and human health, and to enable countries to effectively adopt new vehicle engine and emission control technologies. The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts is responsible for developing and enforcing a number of fuel quality standards made under the Act.
Fuel quality standards have been set for Petrol, Diesel, Biodiesel and Autogas. Ethanol has a fuel quality information standard. A Diesohol standard and a standard for fuel grade ethanol are being considered. Monitoring is undertaken to ensure compliance with the standards. Penalties apply if standards aren't met.
Emerging fuel quality issues include: Olefins; Racing Fuels; Ethanol; Review of the Fuel Quality Standards Act; Alternative and Renewable Fuels.
  • Petrol
  • Diesel
  • Biodiesel
  • Autogas

Petrol

The standards have been implemented to reduce the amount of toxic pollutants in vehicle emissions, such as benzene and particles, with studies estimating reductions of up to 50 per cent for some pollutants over 20 years. This is great news for our health, with cleaner air helping to reduce the number of serious respiratory illnesses and asthma cases, particularly in children.
A national fuel grade standard for ethanol that can be blended with petrol up to a maximum level of ten per cent was introducted on 28 June 2008.
petrol standard is:
||~ Parameter ||~ National standard ||~ Grade ||~ Date of effect ||~ Test method ||
Sulfur
500 ppm (max)
ULP/LRP
1-Jan-02
ASTM D5453
150 ppm (max)
PULP

150 ppm (max)
All grades
1-Jan-05
50 ppm (max)
PULP
1-Jan-08
Research octane number (RON)
91.0 RON (min)
ULP
1-Jan-02
ASTM D2699
95.0 RON (min)
PULP
96.0 RON (min)
LRP
Distillation
Final boiling point 210°C (max)
All grades
1-Jan-05
Not specified
Olefins
18% pool average over 6 months with a cap of 20%
All grades
1-Jan-04
ASTM D1319
18% max by vol
All grades
1-Jan-05
Aromatics
45% pool average over 6 months with a cap of 48%
All grades
1-Jan-02
ASTM D1319
42% pool average over 6 months with a cap of 45%
1-Jan-05
Benzene
1% max by vol
All grades
1-Jan-06
ASTM D5580
Lead
0.005g/L (max)
All grades
1-Jan-02
ASTM D3237
Oxygen
2.7% m/m (max)
All grades
(no ethanol)
1-Jan-02
ASTM D4815
3.9% m/m (max)
All grades
(with ethanol)
1-Nov-07
Ethanol *
10% v/v (max)
All grades
1-Jul-03
ASTM D4815
Phosphorus
0.0013g/L (max)
ULP, PULP
1-Jan-02
ASTM D3231
MTBE
(Methyl tertiary-butyl ether)
1% by volume (max)
All grades
1-Jan-04
ASTM D4815
DIPE
(Di-isopropropyl ether)
1% by volume (max)
All grades
1-Jan-02
ASTM D4815
TBA
(Tertiary butyl alcohol)
0.5% by volume (max)
All grades
1-Jan-02
ASTM D4815
Motor Octane Number (MON)
85.0 (min)
PULP
16-Oct-02
ASTM D2700
81.0 (min)
ULP
16-Oct-02
82.0 (min)
LRP
16-Oct-02
Copper Corrosion
(3 hrs @ 50ºC)
Class 1 (max)
All grades
16-Oct-02
ASTM D130
Existent Gum (washed)
50 mg/L (max)
All grades
16-Oct-02
ASTM D381
Induction Period
360 minutes (min)
All grades
16-Oct-02
ASTM D525


Standard for Ethanol (up to ten per cent ethanol blended with petrol)
Ethanol Standard ||
Parameter
Specification
Date of effect
Test Method
Acidity (as acetic acid CH3COOH)
0.007% mass by mass
28 June 08
ASTM D1613
Appearance
Ethanol must be clear and bright and visibly free of suspended or precipitated contaminants
28 June 08
ASTM D4806
Copper
0.1 mg/kg
28 June 08
ASTM D1688A (as modified in ASTM D4806)
Denaturant
Denaturant must be no less than 1% volume by volume and no more than 1.5% volume by volume
28 June 08
ASTM D5501
Ethanol
Ethanol content must not be less than 95.6% volume by volume
28 June 08
ASTM D5501
Inorganic Chloride
32 mg/L
28 June 08
ASTM D512C (as modified in ASTM D4806)
Methanol
0.5% volume by volume
28 June 08
ASTM D5501
pHe
pHe value must be no less than 6.5 and no more than 9.0
28 June 08
ASTM D6423
Solvent washed gum
5.0 mg/100 ml
28 June 08
ASTM D381
Sulfate
4 mg/kg
28 June 08
ASTM D4806 Annex 1
Sulfur
30 mg/kg
28 June 08
ASTM D5453
Water
1.0% volume by volume
28 June 08
ASTM E203

References
http://www.environment.gov.au/atmosphere/fuelquality/standards/index.html
http://www.environment.gov.au/atmosphere/fuelquality/publications/pubs/fuel0900.pdf__